Mark Kermode 

Devil’s Due – review

There's nothing new about this tale of a woman impregnated with Satan's baby, writes Mark Kermode
  
  


The team behind one of the more successful segments from the patchy horror portmanteau V/H/S direct this functional if overly derivative horror yarn about a young woman impregnated with Satan's baby. Through the now wearyingly well-worn video-diary/surveillance-footage format, we watch newlyweds Zach (Zach Gilford) and Samantha (Allison Miller) honeymooning in the Dominican Republic, where they become unwittingly involved in a diabolical ceremony before being sent home to America to nurture the antichrist.

While horror newbies may find the unfolding incubus antics moderately scary, others will be distracted by the frankly terrifying levels of recycling; the set-up from Rosemary's Baby (a crucifix prop from Polanski's film actually makes a cameo appearance); the demon babies of It's Alive, The Omen et al; the found footage of everything from Blair Witch to Chronicle (with which this shares a producer); special-effects set pieces from Amityville 2 and Exorcist III – the list is endless. Unsurprisingly, habitual fanboy Eli Roth (who hasn't had an original thought since directing Cabin Fever) is an enthusiastic flag-waver for Devil's Due, which you may take as either a recommendation or a warning.

 

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